Safe Haven
by silverstrings
Summary: All he wanted was to hide away from the world for awhile... But she had other plans. [ToshikiHevn]
1. Away from the World

**Title:** Safe Haven  
**Chapter:** 1?  
**Pairing:** Toshiki/Hevn + mention of others.  
**Notes/Warnings:** None for this chapter. I have no friggin' idea what I'm doing writing this pairing, but it's fun. D: It came up completely randomly while I was doing this pairing/'ship-meme on livejournal and I thought, "Huh, actually, I could probably make that work!" and since Toshiki doesn't get enough love and I like writing for him, and I need practice writing for Hevn, I thought I'd give it a try. Opinions? Suggestions? Ideas? Am I on crack? Lemme know!

* * *

He stayed in Mugenjou for the sole purpose that he had no where else to go.

Oh, sure, Kazuki probably would have put him up if he'd asked, but the thread-user had left Mugenjou himself for a reason - he wanted his freedom, his privacy. Kazuki liked living alone, or rather... he'd told them that he _needed_ it right now.

Though that didn't stop Juubei from spending every waking minute of his free time there, but that was beside the point.

If _he_ moved in with Kazuki, then Juubei would want to as well. Living in the same building as the blind man was bad enough, Toshiki didn't think he could handle living in the same small apartment with him...

...And the first time he would happen to walk in on Juubei and Kazuki with their arms around each other, he was afraid he just might snap.

So in Mugenjou he stayed. It wasn't so bad, not really. He did odd jobs for random vendors in the market streets here and there. Mugenjou employers were easy to work for. They asked nothing from you, not even your name unless you were so inclined to offer it. Toshiki went first thing in the morning, worked and worked hard, got paid, and went home. Occasionally MakubeX had need of him, and Toshiki helped because it was what Kazuki would have wanted.

And he had Sakura there, at least.

Ah, Sakura... The older of the Kakei siblings, someone that Toshiki hadn't really thought to look twice at until somewhat recently. They'd grown a lot closer within the last year that Toshiki'd been living in Mugenjou again. She tended to him when he was sick (because he wouldn't allow Juubei near him even on his _good_ days), brought him food and even made him a blanket that got him through the winter without freezing to death in the night. She'd quickly become a good friend and someone he trusted and... possibly someone he could see himself falling in love with. Which, in of itself, was a big deal seeing as he'd never had eyes for anyone but Kazuki.

He stomped those feelings down quickly. Sakura was close and dear to him, yes, but she already had a man (boy) in her life. It didn't matter what her and MakubeX's relationship was - romantic, sibling, or even mother-son, all that mattered was her life's focus was on him and his well-being, and there was little room for anyone else there. Toshiki didn't want to be hurt. Again.

He supposed if he really wanted to get away, it was possible to seek a job outside of Mugenjou. But a normal 9-5 deal didn't seem plausible to him. He was awkward with people and manual labor Outside just didn't pay well enough for him to bother. He always told himself if he found something that paid decently, he would snatch it up. But unfortunately his boughts of depression resulted in him not looking very hard.

While moving out of Mugenjou wasn't a current option, he did make frequent visits to Kazuki's apartment. Once Kazuki had taken him to the cafe he liked to go to, where the two GetBackers hung out (and therefore why Toshiki avoided it). Never once was he tempted to try and find the place again.

...Until the night that he and Juubei nearly tore each other's throats out. Sakura showed up and forced them apart. It had to have been the first time Toshiki had ever heard her raise her voice, and he felt like a kicked puppy. Sakura always tried to be fair, but seeing her brother with blood on his face and his cheek and jaw purpling from a sharp punch left her feeling defensive of him and turning more of her anger towards the blonde. Toshiki panicked, and fled.

No point in going to Kazuki's, Toshiki figured. He was sure that Kazuki would side with Juubei and _he'd_ be the one to get the disapproving looks. It was bad enough that Sakura had been angry; he couldn't handle Kazuki's disappointment in him, too.

And it would figure that it started to rain. Though he didn't mind it much, not until his hands were starting to numb from the cold and he found he was getting hungry.

He found the Honky Tonk thanks to sheer luck and a little due to his sharp sense of direction vaguely remembering where it was. The soft light radiating from the windows and sign was comforting to him, and he pushed the door open and headed inside.

The girl behind the counter was the same as last time, with her cheerful smile and greeting as she set aside the plate she'd been drying. Her eyes were studying him as though she found him familiar, but if she remembered him she didn't say as much. "Welcome! Can I get you anything?"

Toshiki thought about asking to borrow that towel but he wasn't sure what was sillier; asking for a towel when it was his own fault he'd been in the rain, or standing there dripping all over the cafe floor. "Just some coffee," he told her, shuffling towards one of the booths in the corner. He sat, huddled a bit and soaking up the warmth of the place. He found the weather pleasant now that he was watching from the window rather than outside in it. Maybe it was his mood, or the weather or both, but this place felt... safe, at the moment. The rain couldn't get to him here.

When Natsumi brought him his coffee, she also had a towel. It hadn't occurred to Toshiki that maybe it had been rude to _not_ ask for one and just get their floor and seats wet. He took it with a small nod of appreciation, and dried himself as best he could while Natsumi retreated behind the counter again. The owner of the shop was probably in back, Toshiki assumed. It wasn't safe to leave a young girl in a place like this when it was dark, though he vaguely remembered some story or another from Kazuki and Emishi about this girl being more capable of taking care of herself than she looked.

The coffee was delicious, he had to admit. He took his with crème but no sugar, the complete opposite from Juubei (and Kazuki and Sakura took theirs with both, go figure).

The Honky Tonk would be his quiet, safe little haven for a bit. When it closed, he would have to find another sanctuary for the night - he refused to return to Mugenjou. MakubeX could see him through the cameras, which meant so could Sakura and he couldn't handle that. Funny, normally he stressed over not being noticed, tonight he just wanted to be invisible to the world... and in a way, he felt like he was.

The chime of bells over the Honky Tonk door shattered his silence and out of habit of hearing bells he looked up. The blonde that walked in was familiar, though only slightly. She smiled at Natsumi, leaning onto the counter after shaking out her umbrella.

"Hevn-san! Good evening!"

"Just my usual, Natsumi-chan. Where's Paul?"

"Master said Ginji-san and Ban-san gave him a headache and he wanted to be alone for a bit, so he's lying down," Natsumi sounded still oh-so-cheerful as she set to making what Toshiki assumed was tea. His eyes stayed on her rather lazily, though his head was turned mostly forward, chin resting in his palm while the other hand stayed curled and warm around his coffee.

Hevn turned to face him at some point, looking a little surprised. He'd been so still and quiet she hadn't even noticed him at first. She offered a smile, to which Toshiki just stared at her a moment, then blinked. He did remember her. It was hard to forget a rack like that, after all. Especially when said 'nice rack' was being barely contained by a form-fitting lavender tank-top. The black jacket she wore over it was trimmed in fake fur and lined with suede. It looked comfortable, and looked nice on her. At least her pants were relatively normal - a bit low on her hips, but just black slacks accompanied by heeled shoes. The woman was a fashion plate in a way Kazuki or Sakura would never, ever be.

And Toshiki was still contemplating how many backaches that chest must give her when she took her tea from Natsumi and wandered over in his direction.

"You're one of Kazuki-kun's friends, aren't you?"

Toshiki rolled his eyes back to look up at her in mild surprise. "Yeah."

Hevn smiled down at him. "Uryuu Toshiki-kun, wasn't it? Mind if I sit down?"

"...Go ahead." Free world, after all.

She sat, long, finely manicured fingers curling around her tea cup. She had a nice smile, Toshiki thought. A people-smile. Toshiki wondered what she wanted with him.

Hevn, however, saw nothing wrong in being sociable with someone just shy of a complete stranger. You never knew when the person you spoke to during the day - at the grocery store, bank, and restaurants - would someday become a customer. It paid to be polite to everyone and make sure they always remembered you.

"You're an awful long way from home, aren't you?" Hevn asked, though not unpleasantly. Toshiki shrugged.

"On a day-long vacation," he said blandly. "Would _you_ want to stay in Mugenjou all the time if you lived there?"

She blinked, laughed, smiled. "Point taken. I apologize; I'm just surprised to see you here without Kazuki-kun. I mean, there's nothing wrong with that at all. It's just unusual."

Toshiki snorted, sipped his coffee, and looked away. "I'm a big boy, you know. They even tell me I can start ordering from the big-kid's menu at restaurants soon." His tone was dull, unconcerned, even if his words were sarcastic and sharp.

"How wonderful for you." Hevn looked amused. "Well then, where is the big boy planning on staying tonight?" So she'd gotten the gist that he wasn't returning to Mugenjou anytime soon and he wasn't with Kazuki which meant he didn't want to see him, which in turn meant he'd be sleeping on a park bench in the rain unless he found other arrangements.

As he quietly stared down into his coffee just then, Hevn thought he _did_ look like a boy. A frightened, unhappy, lonely boy that just needed a hug... and would have slugged anyone that tried it. "There are plenty of hotels around." It was pointless to lie, wasn't it? "I'll find somewhere."

It was probably good that Toshiki wouldn't have accepted a charity-offer to stay at Hevn's place anyway, because she wasn't inclined to invite him. Hell, she loved Ban and Ginji to death, but never had she opened her home to even them - the one time Ban caught pneumonia not withstanding. She felt bad for Toshiki, but didn't know him well enough to feel comfortable with him in her home.

Toshiki was meanwhile mentally calculating how much money he had on him. Yeah, he probably had enough for a room for the night, if he didn't eat. It came down to dry sleeping quarters, or food. One or the other. Well, he'd gone days without food before, so a hotel it was. Who knew, maybe he'd luck out and have a few extra yen to get something from a vending machine.

His eyes lifted a bit, watching Hevn watching him. She had her chin resting in her hands, looking thoughtful. "What do you do for a living?"

Blink. "I..."

"I figured you were working for MakubeX, but...?"

"...No. I mean, once in awhile I help out if he needs me but..." He shrugged, sipped his coffee in place of saying anything further.

Hevn was suddenly grinning at him. A grin that usually send Ban and Ginji running for the hills unless they were really, really desperate for money. "Ever thought about getting into a business, then?"

"What kind of business?" Toshiki eyed her warily.

"I don't know." Her grin faded a bit, and she squinted at him. "The market's a little oversaturated with retrieval specialists right now..." Not really, but Ban, Ginji and Shido would murder her for picking up another stray dakkanya right now when business was rather slow. "Transporter?"

"No transportation except my own feet."

"Mamoriya, then. You're a big boy," there was that grin again, "You'd make a good protector."

Toshiki scowled. "What does that entail, exactly?" It sounded dangerous, but that wasn't exactly a factor he was worried about. He was in danger everytime he went to sleep at night in Mugenjou, or walked down the streets... Such was the neighborhood anywhere near the Belt Line.

"Exactly what it sounds like. Usually it's protecting items during transport. But sometimes it's being a bodyguard for someone or something. Every job is new and exciting, the pay is excellent and you pick and choose your own jobs! Doesn't that sound perfect?"

"...It sounds fucking crazy, actually."

"You'd be good at it."

"I'm insane for considering it." And yet he was. Dammit.

"Ah, but you _are_ considering it?" Hevn took another long drink from her tea, unphased beneath Toshiki's scowl in her general direction.

"...I'll think about it," he said finally, which was a good enough answer for her.

In the few minutes of silence that followed, Hevn finished her tea, Toshiki his coffee, and the mediator rose to her feet with a content sigh. "Wonderful as always, Natsumi-chan!" The girl behind the counter just beamed. Hevn turned to look down at the grumpy blonde. "Now, I don't suppose you would mind taking a girl back to her apartment, would you?"

Toshiki paused and just stared at her, one brow cocked as he tried to figure out the meaning of that. "Uh..."

"...You know, walk me home since it's dark out? Like a gentleman?"

"Oh." Duh. "Sure." Not that he wanted to, but hey. What else did he have to do? He'd likely spot some hotels along the way.

A brief goodbye was said to Natsumi as they left the Honky Tonk, and the rain had let up to a light drizzle. Hevn opened her umbrella anyway to keep them dry, though Toshiki seemed to prefer his personal space and didn't stay more than half under its cover the entire time.

The walk to Hevn's apartment took less time than expected. The building was older but in wonderful condition, everything from the front doors to the bricks to the carpets and elevator leading up to the top floor. Not that Toshiki saw anything beyond the front steps. He'd seen her home safely, now he could go see himself into a nice, warm bed somewhere, preferably before it started to rain again.

Hevn stood in the doorway with a smile directed down at him. "So, I'll talk to you tomorrow about getting you started up with some jobs?"

"…I said I'd _think_ about it," Toshiki ground out, already almost regretting having told her that much.

"Right right. Then once you've decided to do it…"

"Oii, woman..."

Hevn just winked at him. It would seem this new boy she was oh-so kindly taking in under her mediating wing had Shido-kun's awkwardness with people and even a little of Ban-kun's snark. But she sensed a little of Kazuki-kun's kindness in him as well, it was just deep-seeded and a little difficult to see at first.

"Goodnight, Toshiki-kun," she told him before retreating into the building.

Toshiki shoved his hands into his pockets, shoulders hunched slightly as he watched her go with no reply. Once she was safely inside and out of sight, he retreated down the steps and up the sidewalk.

Well, today had been depressing and interesting.

But now all he wanted was to find a hotel and sleep… and hope that tomorrow brought better things.


	2. Employment Opportunities

**Title: **Safe Haven  
**Chapter:** 2?  
**Pairing(s):** Toshiki/Hevn + mention of others.  
**Notes/Warnings:** Other than grumpy-Toshiki, nada. Typical disclaimer applies. Slightly short chapter, just shy of 2k words, sorry.

* * *

His dreams consisted of a ruined church. And Lucifer and blood and pain - blinding, _blinding_ pain - all surrounded by faces he didn't care to remember, save for Kazuki's smiling at him through it all. A time when he'd thought, for just a brief moment, that Kazuki had eyes only for him and just maybe the world wasn't so bad. 

Everything after that had been so dark and for a few moments he didn't understand what was happening, why he couldn't move or breathe or speak until the pain hit him. But it was such a blinding, white-hot pain that, while he was aware of it, his brain couldn't actually register the 'ow' factor.

Toshiki was grateful for that.

---

He woke up in a cold sweat with the blankets and sheet tangled around his hips and his hair down and clinging to his face, neck and shoulders. It took him a moment of darting his eyes around the room to register just where he was and remember why he was there. And another minute to realize that it was a knock at the door that'd woken him up.

Deeming the room danger-free for the moment, Toshiki slid from bed and shuffled to the door, limbs and eyes heavy with sleep. He even growled a little as he put his hand on the knob to turn and open it - if house-keeping was coming by this early in the damned morning...

He pulled the door forward and scowled out into the hall, expression faltering when he saw Hevn standing there with a brilliant smile on her face.

"Good morning, sunshine."

Toshiki responded with an incoherent, confused grumble, and retreated back several steps to allow Hevn room to enter. She did so, and Toshiki took a moment to baffle at her choice in clothing. If you could call it that (then again, he was standing there in nothing but boxers...). He wasn't even going to try and figure out how that skirt was managing to cover her ass, or why her ample chest hadn't fallen right out of that tube-top. He did wonder, however, how many jackets she owned. She was wearing a different one today that hung almost to the floor and appeared to be made out of fake mink. Not real, no, Toshiki was glad for that. He was no animal rights activist, but he could just imagine the wide-eyed, horrified look on Kazuki and Sakura's faces.

Admittedly, fur - even fake fur - did seem like it would feel nice against bare skin. Toshiki wondered if Hevn would think he was weird for hugging her. Or better yet, push her onto the bed and sleep on her. Somehow he thought he'd never wake up again, though - that chest would smother him in ten seconds flat.

...Okay. He must've been more tired than he thought what with all of the random thoughts in his head. He blinked a few times, rubbed as his eyes and turned around to retreat right back to bed and lie down. Hevn shut the door behind her, trailing after him and waving a paper bag. "I brought breakfast! ...What're you doing? Get up. I bought you food and I have your first job offer!"

Toshiki grumbled. "Sleep now, eat later." He flumped face-down onto his bed, drug the blankets up over him and closed his eyes. He was only vaguely aware of Hevn talking to him even as he fell back asleep.

And she was still there and still talking when he woke up awhile later. At first he strained his ears, assuming she was speaking to him, and then upon opening an eye and glancing over he saw the blonde woman in a chair by the window, legs crossed neatly and cell phone in hand, chatting away while she stared off out the window. Toshiki scowled, grumbled, pulled a pillow over his head and sighed. Was she really planning on staying there until he got up? He could have slept all day, it felt like.

Hevn obviously had no intentions of letting him do so, however. When she finished with her call, she snapped her phone shut, looked in his direction and smiled. "You really ought to be getting up, Toshiki-kun. Your meeting with the client is in a few hours."

This time around, Toshiki's brain registered the mention of a job and he slowly glared out from beneath his pillow.

"_What_ job? I told you I'd _think_ about doing that kind of work, not that I _would_."

Hevn waved a hand dismissively. "Clients don't have time to wait for you to be thinking things over, Toshiki-kun! Besides, this is a pretty big name client. Do well for him and he'll be a fantastic recommendation."

"Then why're you asking _me_ to do it instead of some big name mamoriya?" Toshiki sat up halfway, propping himself on his elbows.

Hevn's mouth twitched a little at that and she hesitated but a second. "Is it wrong to have faith in your abilities? I mean, I figuredsince you were one of Kazuki-kun's old gang members, you'd be a natural for something like this."

He studied her long and hard, bright eyes narrowing. It was easy to see that she was a manipulative little thing (or not so little, as the case may be), and she was good at it. Toshiki was starting to worry that meeting her last night had been a Big Mistake.

"...Fine. What does it pay?"

"I'll negotiate that with the client when we get there."

"_'We'_?"

"Of course! It's always best to have a mediator go along on these sorts of things," she explained calmly, hoping to drive that point home early on so he'd never think twice about going on a job without her along for the mediator fees. "Especially since - no offence - you don't strike me as a friendly people-person kind of guy."

...Okay, so he couldn't quite argue with that one. "Fine." Shoving the blankets back, he started crawling out of bed again, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and shoving a hand back through his messy hair. "But you're gonna have to wait a bit. I want a shower and coffee and something to eat."

Hevn grinned triumphantly. "I have breakfast covered when you're ready for it," she held up the paper bag holding their healthy bagel breakfast. "And I'll put the coffee on." As Toshiki grunted in response and wandered through the bathroom door, Hevn took a moment to crane her head and tilt it a bit, admiring the view.

* * *

He was hustled out of the hotel with no time to spare; his hair was still down and a mess, he had a bagel in his mouth and was trying to pull on his flimsy jacket while shuffling after Hevn towards her fancy car in the parking lot. It looked awfully out of place amidst all the old junkers around. 

Hevn had her phone out again, and was talking to their client (he assumed) as they slid into the car and buckled in. Toshiki at least had time to savor his coffee-to-go and his bagel and later tie his hair back while the mediator drove, and he was reminded why he disliked cars.

He was still and quiet, though, staring out the window even after Hevn clicked her cell phone shut and pocketed it. Somewhere along the drive, he did speak up to ask how the hell she'd found him at the hotel anyway, and Hevn just smiled and said she had her connections. Toshiki didn't bother pressing further. It wasn't like he'd used a fake name when checking in or anything; he couldn't have been too hard to find.

The arranged meeting spot was the client's house, nearly an hour away. Toshiki was tired enough that he dozed off in the car, waking only when it came to a jolting stop.

The house was older, traditional in style; something Toshiki imagined Sakura or Kazuki being oh-so happy living in. He trailed after Hevn apprehensively, following suit in everything she did, from taking off his shoes to bowing stiffly when she did and doing just as she'd told him to do on the way there - keep his mouth closed and let her do all the talking. He could have been offended, he supposed. But Hevn had been right; Toshiki wasn't a people-person and he was likely to say something to screw all this up. So instead he sat beside and a little behind Hevn, legs folded under him as he tried to pay at least some attention to all the little details Hevn and his - _their_ - client were discussing.

Takuya Mizuno was an older man, greying but still rather handsome in his own way. He had a wife that made a brief appearance to bring them tea, and two daughters that stopped by only to be introduced out of politeness - though both girls giggled and hid their smiles behind their kimono sleeves when meeting the quiet, ruffled-looking blonde. Toshiki shifted a little beneath their retreating lingering stares, and Hevn later assured him it was because they thought he was cute.

Mizuno rambled on about and on about his various collections, everything from paintings to jewelry to expensive koi (_'He collects **fish**?_') and beyond. Toshiki wondered if all clients talked this much, and if so he was more than happy to fork over mediator fees so he didn't have to pay full attention to it all. He was certain tha Hevn would tell him the important parts later.

The item up for transport, as it turned out, was a set of twelve small figurines representing the zodiac made entirely from diamond and jade, ruby, emerald... a different stone for every month of the year. Mizuno didn't bring them out as they were already packed up for transport, but he handed over a picture and even Toshiki had to admit, they were beautiful and looked painfully expensive. Shortly after the presentation of the photograph, though, Toshiki lost interest in paying attention. Why was he still so _tired_?

Once Mizuno stepped out for an important business phone call, Hevn turned around a little to look at him. "Following so far?"

"Beyond that I'm supposed to be guarding a bunch of little figurines? Not a fucking clue."

She looked amused. "Actually, the figures aren't really what you're guarding, I don't think."

Toshiki eyed her.

"You'll be protecting his older daughter while _she_ transports the figures."

Mizuno's oldest daughter, sixteen year-old Sayoko, was a pretty little thing indeed, with a shy voice and a soft little face that made her look younger than she was. She wore her kimono so well that Toshiki imagined she had very few curves underneath it all - Kazuki always had to pad his down when wearing one; his body was just too curvy to display kimono properly without aid.

"So... I'm guarding a little girl."

"She's not _that_ little. Who knows, maybe you'll make a new friend." Hevn grinned.

Toshiki scowled.

After the rest of their meeting, they retreated back to the car and Hevn explained further to him: Two transporters were in charge of driving himself and Sayoko a good ten hours up through the mountains. Sayoko was to present the figures to another family as a sort of dowry - an offering as she would be marrying their oldest son in a few months. A ten-hour trip straight through in some truck didn't sound too appealing to Toshiki, especially not in the dead of night and arriving first thing in the morning. He didn't understand why transporters _and_ himself were needed, and Hevn tried to explain but... it still didn't make much sense. Toshiki chalked it up to 'extra protection wanted' and left it at that.

All in all, he thought the meeting went relatively well.

After all, how hard could it be to guard a sixteen year old girl carrying a bunch of rocks?

_(tbc.)_


	3. Unexpected Confrontations

**Title:** Safe Haven  
**Chapter:** 3?  
**Pairing:** Eventual Toshiki/Hevn.  
**Warnings/notes:** Um... short chapter. But I really wanted to end it where I did, and hopefully it's a cliff-hanger enough to appease people. XD;;

* * *

Maguruma was a big man, taller than Toshiki, broader-shouldered and husky. But he was friendly enough and quiet, so at least no feathers were ruffled during their first meeting when Mr. No Brakes' truck pulled up at the back of Mizuno's compound. Shiba Ichigo was the other transporter, not one Hevn had met before, but she introduced Toshiki to him all the same. 

He was an inch or so shorter than Toshiki, dark-eyed and dark-haired and even quieter than their driver. Toshiki wasn't sure what methods the guy used to fight with (transporters _had_ to be able to defend their target, right?), but he didn't ask. Hevn had told him to keep quiet and let her do the talking.

Sayoko was brought out just as they were preparing to leave. Her kimono was done in blues and purples, and made her look even more doll-like than she already was. She was certainly the prettier of the two daughters, Toshiki had to admit. It was obvious why they were able to marry her off to such a wealthy family. He grumbled something to Hevn about why Sayoko couldn't have been dressed a little more practical for this sort of thing, but Hevn retorted that the girl had to look her best for meeting up with her fiancé at the end of their little trip.

Sayoko had delicate hands and they were clutching a box wrapped securely in silk, containing the twelve zodiac figurines. As curious as he was to see them, Toshiki didn't ask. His job was to guard the girl and the box, not sit around playing with figures on a truck.

He found that when Hevn brought Sayoko over to him for introductions, he wasn't sure what to say. She bowed respectfully, a gesture he'd never quite taken to doing, and he felt awkward offering his hand to shake hers, though she took it out of politeness. Hevn smiled at them both brilliantly.

"Alright, onto the truck with you! You have a long drive ahead."

As the two transporters, protector and the girl hauled themselves up into Maguruma's large truck, Toshiki cast an almost forlorn look back at Hevn. She just smiled up at him. "You'll do _fine. _I'll be here when you get back; we'll do breakfast to celebrate your first successful job."

Toshiki tried to quirk a smile, failed, and resumed his usual scowly-expression before sliding into the back of the truck after the others. It felt sort of nice that someone other than Kazuki had a little faith in him, but still...

Maybe he'd have felt a little better if he didn't have such a bad feeling about this...

* * *

Ichigo spent his time up front with Maguruma, seated neatly in the passenger's seat with one leg crossed over the other and his hands folded in his lap. They sat in companionable silence, and Toshiki wasn't inclined to try and strike up a conversation with either of them. 

The blonde was far more content staying in the far back of the truck with Sayoko, who was also quiet and kept casting worried glances to the two in front. Toshiki paid her no attention at first, but eventually felt a little bad for how nervous the poor girl looked and leaned over to murmur to her.

"Don't be afraid of them. They're just the transporters; _I'm_ here to protect you, even from them if need be."

Sayoko startled and looked up at him, dark eyes blinking a few times. Once it sunk in that Toshiki was trying to make her feel better, she seemed to relax a bit and smiled with a small nod. Toshiki only barely caught a glance from Ichigo up front giving him a bit of a glare, but he thought nothing of it.

"...So, uh... What's this fiancé of yours like, anyway?"

"He's..." Sayoko's smile faded and her expression went a little flat. "He's kind and generous, and he'll do well with his father's buisiness, and he'll take very good care of me."

"..." That entire sentence sounded so mechanical and practiced that Toshiki had a hard time taking it seriously. "He sounds boring."

Sayoko flashed him a look, as though wondering if he were joking, and then forced a tiny smile. "He is." And she left it at that.

It wasn't for another two hours that Maguruma informed them of snacks and some drinks inside a cooler loaded somewhere in the back of the truck. Toshiki fetched something for Sayoko, but didn't bother with anything himself. He still had a feeling in his gut that left him feeling uncomfortable and lacking an appetite.

He had, however, started to lightly catnap when the truck gave a violent swerve and the sound of the wheels on the shoulder of the road made him cringe as their ride became excruciatingly rough for a few seconds. Ichigo cursed and Toshiki was on his feet in a flash.

"What the hell was that!"

"We've got company." Maguruma glanced into his rear-view mirror, looking more amused than anything. "Looks like this ride won't be as quiet as we thought."

Ichigo started to get up, looking rather apprehensive, but Toshiki advanced to the front of the truck. "I'll go. Stay here and keep an eye on the girl." At the firm instruction, Ichigo merely blinked at Toshiki, then gladly retreated to the back to stay with Sayoko.

Almost dreading his brave - and stupid - little decision to take charge of their problem, Toshiki sighed and made his way to the door located on the side of the truck. Maguruma called out for him to be careful, and his warning was promptly ignored. There was nothing Toshiki couldn't handle! Besides, whoever was following them had to be in a vehicle behind them, and there was little short of another semi that could have run Maguruma's truck off the road.

Not to mention whoever-it-was would need to get _on_ the truck to cause problems and -- ...was that the sound of someone landing on the roof? '_God dammit._'

With a grunt, Toshiki grabbed hold of the ledge of the roof from the side-door and hauled himself out and up, a rather bold move as he made the mistake of glancing down and saw just how close he could be to colliding with pavement if he slipped up. But thank God for upper body strength, of which Uryuu Toshiki was definitely not lacking.

The wind up there was almost deafening at first, and it took his eyes a few seconds to adjust enough to catch sight of the figure also on the roof a few feet away, thankfully also attempting to get his bearings on the unstable surface beneath their feet.

Toshiki stood first, hands in loose fists at his sides. He wasn't about to take down an enemy that wasn't even on his feet, and waited for the other man to do so before he lifted one hand towards him. "Sorry, but the girl has an appointment with someone important in a few hours. You can't have her."

Just before he sent off a gust of wind that surely would've blown his opponent clear off the truck roof, he suddenly recognized that face with the wide brown-gold eyes staring back at him.

"...Uryuu!"

The voice clarified it, and internally, Toshiki half-cringed and half-smirked in absolute glee. He didn't lower his hand, but rather let the wind gather there in his palm for a few seconds longer--

"Sorry, Raitei, but this is business, after all."

--And the strong force of wind that left Toshiki's hand sent Amano Ginji flying off the roof of Mr. No Brakes' truck.

_tbc._


End file.
